Motor gear box

Details Motor gear box Motor gear box

2002-05-02

2003-09-09

Dougherty, Thomas M. (Department: 2834)

Electrical generator or motor structure

Dynamoelectric

Rotary

C310S083000, C310S066000, C310S0400MM

Reexamination Certificate

active

06617726

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to machine elements and mechanisms generally, but more particularly to motor gear boxes.
2. Description of the Related Art
The present invention is an improvement upon the compact miniature motor gear box shown in U.S. Pat. No. 6,054,785 which was issued on Apr. 25, 2000, to Kerdjoudj et al. and in U.S. Design Pat. No. D440,995 which was issued on Apr. 24, 2001, to Tsergas et al.
FIG. 1
shows a bottom plan view of a prior art motor gear box
100
with built-in mounting brackets
168
at each end. A separate sleeve
102
surrounds an output shaft (not shown) that protrudes from the gear box
100
.
FIG. 2
shows a cross-sectional side elevational view of the prior art motor gear box
100
with the built-in mounting brackets
168
at each end and the separate sleeve
102
which surrounds the output shaft (not shown) that protrudes from the gear box
100
.
FIG. 3
shows a cutaway top plan view taken along line
3
—
3
of
FIG. 2
showing the prior art motor gear box
100
with the separate sleeve
102
and other sleeves
104
,
106
and
108
interconnected by reinforcing ribs
103
,
105
and
107
, respectively. These other sleeves
104
,
106
and
108
surround other gear shafts (not shown). Other reinforcing ribs
109
,
111
,
112
and
113
provide rigidity to a frame
114
which surrounds the sleeves and ribs mentioned above.
FIG. 4
shows another cutaway top plan view taken along line
4
—
4
of
FIG. 2
showing the prior art motor gear box
100
with the frame
114
surrounding a direct current (DC) motor
110
. A programmable control board (PCB)
122
is mounted on a rear end
130
of the DC motor
110
while a first-stage worm gear
132
protrudes from a front end
120
of the DC motor
110
. This first-stage worm gear
132
meshes with a double pinion transfer gear
134
.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a gear box housing a motor capable of delivering a high torque sufficient to crush ice in a refrigerator ice maker.
This arrangement keeps the motor compact inside the gear box which makes efficient use of space in a refrigerator and any other appliance requiring the application of high torque in a small space.
A number of features support quiet operation for this subfractional horsepower motor inside the gear box of the present invention.
A primary object of the present invention is to provide a lead harness assembly and a connection for linking an electrode tip at one end of a direct current (DC) motor to a programmable control board (PCB) mounted on a side of the DC motor to conserve space.
A secondary object of the present invention is to provide two bevel gears which are stronger than a single worm gear for meshing with each other and for transmitting more power from the DC motor to an output shaft.
A tertiary object of the present invention is to provide a collar formed integrally with the frame so that a stronger output shaft may protrude therefrom. Such a stronger output shaft is capable of applying higher torque than a conventional shaft to a task requiring great strength, such as crushing ice cubes and chips inside a refrigerator ice maker.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3679958 (1972-07-01), Chambers
patent: 3892986 (1975-07-01), Allen
patent: 3894255 (1975-07-01), Newton, Jr.
patent: 5284064 (1994-02-01), Green et al.
patent: 5734210 (1998-03-01), Keutz
patent: 5877570 (1999-03-01), Chen
patent: 6054785 (2000-04-01), Kerdjoudj et al.
patent: 6201326 (2001-03-01), Klappenbach et al.
patent: 6204585 (2001-03-01), Riello et al.
patent: D440995 (2001-04-01), Tsergas et al.
patent: 6229233 (2001-05-01), Torii et al.
patent: 6364850 (2002-04-01), Wang
patent: 10327554 (1998-12-01), None
patent: 2000177609 (2000-06-01), None
patent: 2000316254 (2000-11-01), None

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